July 15, 1805

Monday July 15th 1805.

We arrose very early this morning, assigned the canoes their loads and
had it put on board. we now found our vessels eight in number all
heavily laden, notwithstanding our several deposits; tho it is true we
have now a considerable stock of dryed meat and grease. we find it
extreemly difficult to keep the baggage of many of our men within
reasonable bounds; they will be adding bulky articles of but little use
or value to them. At 10 A.M. we once more saw ourselves fairly under
way much to my joy and I beleive that of every individual who compose
the party. I walked on shore and killed 2 Elk near one of which the
party halted and dined. we took the skins marrow bones and a part of
the flesh of these Elk. in order to lighten the burthen of the canoes I
continued my walk all the evening and took our only invalledes Potts an
LaPage with me. we passed the river near where we dined and just above
the entrance of a beautifull river 80 yards wide which falls in on the
Lard. side which in honour of Mr. Robert Smith the Secretary of the
Navy we called Smith's River. this stream meanders through a most
lovely valley to the S. E. for about 25 miles when it enters the Rocky
mountains and is concealed from our view. many herds of buffaloe were
feeding in this valley. we again crossed the river to the Stard. side
and passed through a plain and struck the river at a Northwardly bend
where there was timber here we waited untill the canoes arrived by
which time it was so late that we concluded to encamp for the night.
here Drewyer wouded a deer which ran into the river my dog pursued
caught it drowned it and brought it to shore at our camp. we have now
passed Fort Mountain on our right it appears to be about ten miles
distant. this mountain has a singular appearance it is situated in a
level plain, it's sides stand nearly at right angles with each other
and are each about a mile in extent. these are formed of a yellow clay
only without the mixture of rock or stone of any size and rise
perpendicularly to the hight of 300 feet. the top appears to be a level
plain and from the eminence on which I was yesterday I could see that
it was covered with a similar cost of grass with the plain on which it
stands. the surface appears also to possess a tolerable fertile mole of
2 feet thick. and is to all appearance inaccessible. from it's figure
we gave it the name of fort mountain. those mounds before mentioned
near the falls have much the same appearance but are none of them as
large as this one. the prickly pear is now in full blume and forms one
of the beauties as well as the greatest pests of the plains. the
sunflower is also in blume and is abundant. this plant is common to
every part of the Missouri from it's entrance to this place. the
lambsquarter, wild coucumber, sand rush and narrow dock are also common
here. Drewyer killed another deer and an Otter today. we find it
inconvenient to take all the short meanders of the river which has now
become cooked and much narrower than below, we therefore take it's
general course and lay down the small bends by the eye on our daily
traverse or chart. the river is from too to 150 yds. wide. more timber
on the river than below the falls for a great distance. on the banks of
the river there are many large banks of sand much elivated above the
plains on which they ly and appear as if they had been collected in the
course of time from the river by the almost incessant S. W. winds; they
always appear on the sides of the river opposite to those winds.

The couses and distances from the White bear islands to the camp at
which we made the canoes as taken by Sergt. Ordway.-

July 15th Monday 1805

rained all the last night I was wet all night this morning wind hard
from the S. W. we Set out at 10 oClock and proceeded on verry well
passed a river on the Lard Side about 80 yards wide which we Call after
the Secy of the Navey Smiths River the river verry Crooked bottoms
extensive rich and Passes thro a butifull vally between 2 mts. Conts.
high grass, our Canoes being So Small Several of the men Capt. Lewis &
my Self Compelled to walked on Shore & Cross the bends to keep up with
the Canoes— a round mountain on our right abt. 10 miles appears
inaxcessable we Call fort mountain. The Prickley pear in bloom but fiew
other flowers. Sun flowr are common, also lambs quarter & Nettles. Capt
Lew Killed 2 Elk & the hunters killed 2 Deer & a Ortter, we Camped on
the Stard Side at which place I Saw many beaver, the timber on the edge
of the river more Common than below the falls— as I am compelled to
walk on Shore find it verry dificuelt to take the Courses of the river,
as it is verry Crooked more So than below